Thursday, April 10, 2014

The King by J. R. WardBlack Dagger Brotherhood Book 12Published April 1, 20144 Bloody Fangs"Sometimes you don't know what it is you really want, until its taken away from you."

Synopsis -

J.R. Ward's # 1 New York Times bestselling Black Dagger Brotherhood continues as a royal bloodline is compromised by a grave threat to the throne.

Long live the King…

After turning his back on the throne for centuries, Wrath, son of Wrath, finally assumed his father’s mantle--with the help of his beloved mate. But the crown sets heavily on his head. As the war with the Lessening Society rages on, and the threat from the Band of Bastards truly hits home, he is forced to make choices that put everything--and everyone--at risk.

Beth Randall thought she knew what she was getting into when she mated the last pure blooded vampire on the planet: An easy ride was not it. But when she decides she wants a child, she’s unprepared for Wrath’s response--or the distance it creates between them.

After an attempt on his life, the last thing Wrath expects is to lose his throne to the pen as apposed to the sword. The Band of Bastards may be merciless when it comes to violence and mayhem, but the Glymera are relentless with their conniving, and cowardice. What truly comes as a surprise to the Blind King is when he realizes though he despises being trapped behind that desk, he truly does value the crown that was forced upon his head. That realization just may be too little too late. Unfortunately for him, that may not be his only loss. With his Queen and Shellan, Beth, obsessing over having a child, which he is adamantly opposed to, trying to bring about her needing, he comes to a crossroads. Wrath's decision on whether to service her or drug her when her needing does come about just may be null and void when destiny decides to take control and throw them both a curve-ball.

Two more couples are on the forefront in this one as well; Sophia and Assail, Xcor and Layla. At the end of Quinn and Blay's book, Lover at Last, Sophia was being kidnapped by Benloise's men. Thinking she is on her own, she does whatever it takes to ensure her survival. Helpless damsel she is not. And even though she is only human, she is by no means weak and knows how to work with whatever she needs to. All the while she is planning her own rescue, Assail, with the help of his twins, is out desperately and bloodily trying to find her. Which would probably be easier is he wasn't so quick to kill everyone of Benloise men seeing how dead men can't speak, and if could stop snuffing powder up his nose.

Meanwhile, Layla still cannot bring herself to stop thinking of the male with the grotesque scar upon his face, Xcor, only to her, it is not grotesque at all. The only she disapproves of when it comes to him is his ambitions to gain the crown. And she is more than willing to use his feelings for her, as well as her body, to thwart his plans. Xcor just may have found a foe he cannot defeat, his heart. And while Layla may not fear for herself around Xcor, she does not feel that way around his right hand man, Throe. Throe just may be even uglier on the inside than Xcor is on the outside.

There also seems to be another couple in the making; Trez and Selena. Though both of their times just may be up, one may not have much longer until they join the Fade while the other may be forced to live up to a fate they have running from for a very long time.

Interactions with long time favorites, as a lot of what's going on hits to home with them, and they are more than willing to open up to their brother, Wrath, in his time of need; Tohrment and Zsadist. John Matthew (offnote: if they don't hurry up and figure he is indeed Darious I just may shoot somebody!!!) also plays a part, after-all Beth is his "sister" (I swear, that is probably the only thing keeping from giving this a full 5, it is driving me insane!). iAm not only looking after his brother, but also helping with the Brothers and the Queen. Rhev gets the opportunity to smack the Glymera in the face. And a new character is introduced, s'Ex, the executioner of the s'Hibe, well, if you as the women at the Iron Mask, the Love god.

The King has been long awaited by fans of The Black Dagger Brotherhood for a very long time. Though some aspects may disappoint, sorry I am just hung up on the John Matthew/Darious bit, to me it has gone on long enough and when he had that first seizure in this book I thought for sure... Anyway, it was still well worth the wait. This book, and series, is a true Must Read, though definitely not as a stand alone.

Thursday, April 3, 2014

J.R. Ward's # 1 New York Times bestselling Black Dagger Brotherhood continues as a royal bloodline is compromised by a grave threat to the throne.

Long live the King…

After turning his back on the throne for centuries, Wrath, son of Wrath, finally assumed his father’s mantle--with the help of his beloved mate. But the crown sets heavily on his head. As the war with the Lessening Society rages on, and the threat from the Band of Bastards truly hits home, he is forced to make choices that put everything--and everyone--at risk.

Beth Randall thought she knew what she was getting into when she mated the last pure blooded vampire on the planet: An easy ride was not it. But when she decides she wants a child, she’s unprepared for Wrath’s response--or the distance it creates between them.

The question is, will true love win out... or tortured legacy take over?

Nick Gautier is tired of his destiny. He doesn't want to be the son of a demon who’s fated to end the world. Nor does he want to see another demon or other preternatural creature who wants to kill or enslave him. He just wants to be normal and have normal problems like everyone else.

But normality isn't all it’s cracked up to be. When he gets sucked into an alternate reality where his mother has married his mentor and his Atlantean god best friend has become a human geek, he begins to understand that no life is free of pain, and that every person has a specific place in the universe… Even the son of a hated demon.

Most of all, he sees that his powers aren't the curse he thought they were, and that the world needs a champion, especially one its enemies can’t imagine rising up to defend the ones he should destroy.

Old enemies and new friends square off for a major battle that will either restore Nick to his real world, or end him forever.